What to plant in your garden this month

Growing produce in your backyard or in a community garden can save money on the weekly grocery bill and it’s a great way to stay active. 

Spring is the perfect time to get ahead on planting for the warmer months so your plants have the greatest opportunity to grow in the summer.

Here’s a list of suggestions the Gippsland Monitor put together to help guide you through springtime gardening.

Tomatoes, Eggplants and Capsicums

Warm season crops like these will thrive once the risk of frost has mostly passed and soils begin to warm. If you start seedlings now or plant more robust varieties it will give them plenty of time to grow strong over summer.

Beans

Mid to late October is the time to start planting green beans as the soil is warming and days are getting longer. Planting them in October gives their structure plenty of time to set up before they start producing beans.

Cucumbers and zucchini

For similar reasons it’s a good time to start thinking about planting cucumbers and zucchini. Keep an eye on the overnight temperature, and if it’s dropping below 10C, hold off planting until it gets a bit warmer.

Pumpkin and squash

These will do well when planted in October. They require a bit of space, good soil, regular water and warmth. Similar to cucumbers and zucchini you’ll want to keep an eye on outside temperatures before planting as pumpkin and squash are sensitive to frost.

Vegetables like radishes, beetroot and carrots

October in Victoria will provide warmer soil temperatures for root vegetables to thrive.

Herbs like parsley, dill and coriander

Herbs also enjoy the warmth; plant them now so they establish before the heat of summer.

Potatoes

October is a good time to start putting potatoes in the ground, and they’ll grow through spring and into early summer.

Artichokes

Globe artichokes thrive in a sunny position with well-drained, rich soil.